Monday, July 23, 2012

At the mercy of Mother Nature

I've been gardening for 15 years. This has to be the most challenging. The season started out unseasonably warm but with decent amounts of rain.  The last time we had measurable rain was in May.  Unfortunately it came with hail three times over.  Needless to say the hostas look pretty bad.  Now we are in  a drought along with temps in the 90's to the 100's day after day.  I really dislike dragging hoses, but this year I am.  All that said, I decided to focus on the plants that are handling the drought and heat well.  After all, there's always next year.


Heucheras and lamium.

Stargazer liles

Rose 'Tamora'

Hibiscus 'Blue Satin'

Stachyus 'Helen Von Stein', geranium 'Rozeanne' and blue oat grass are all faring well.

Heuchera 'Keylime Pie' along with sedum 'Angelina' are two of my favorite perennials.
They are backed up by Sambucus 'Black Lace'

Most of the sedums are doing well along with the grasses.  



Behind H. 'Keylime Pie', hosta 'Golden Tiara' is lysimachia 'Golden Alexander'  another great perennial.

Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' with some of the ratty hostas in the background.

The roses are holding up well.  This is Morden 'Sunrise' with calamagrostis 'Eldorado'
The Butterfly Garden from a distance looks pretty good despite it all.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Bloom Day - July 2012


Welcome to my mid-July garden and Bloom Day - July 2012 hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens  Today is my birthday.  I love having a mid-summer birthday.  It seems like the garden is just hitting it's stride for my special day.  This year is a bit of an exception as we are in a severe drought.  I never water this early and I actually don't water much at all.  I've been dragging hoses and sprinklers around now for a couple of weeks as things began to get crispy.  Hail three times earlier in the season didn't help.  The hostas are pretty tacky.  Amazingly I do have blooms and from a distance things don't look too bad.



Clematis 'Arabella' scrambles through this raised bed.  She is a prolific bloomer.

After a short rest, the roses have started blooming again.  I only grow non-fussy roses like this 'Morden Sunrise'
Echinops ritro backed up by salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy' that has reseeded.
              

Clematis 'Blue Belle' is a long and prolific bloomer.
The first of the hibiscus is blooming.
                         
Asclepias tuberosa
                                                                                              


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Garden Collections

I guess I was born with collecting in my blood.  Don't get me wrong, I swear I'm not a hoarder.  I come by it  naturally. My grandpa who was my dad's dad started a business collecting when he was just a mere boy.  It was later run by my dad.  My mom is a bit of a collector as well.

In the garden my biggest collection by far is plants.  I'm always on the hunt for something I don't have.  You won't find large drifts in my garden.  I'm one of those gardeners who plant in drifts of one.

Another thing I love collecting is old watering cans.  I actually find them quite useful.  Some have their roses and work well to water seedlings and some have lost them.  These work well to water containers or newly planted perennials.  I like to imagine how many gardeners used these before me.

I also collect things that catch my eye.  Many times I have no idea where or how I will use these things.  Again most of it is old stuff.

It's a good thing I have the Potting Shed to house all these things that that are waiting to be repurposed or find their spot in my gardens.




I have the watering cans scattered throughout the garden ready to be used at any time.



Wednesday, July 4, 2012

The Potting Shed



"In the potting shed, our hearts, the pleasures of home, and the glories of the garden merge. Its practical character eases our garden labors. Its romantic nature enriches our lives. Here is peace, and beauty, and a sense of purpose."
- Linda Joan Smith

These days the potting shed is the heart of my gardens. What was once a dilapidated farm building, has become an important part of my gardening experience.

I started gardening 15 years ago and as my first garden started evolving, I couldn't help focusing on this sad building that happened to be the backdrop of my new patio garden. Instead of trying to hide it, I decided to embrace it. With a little loving care I've brought it to its now charming and functional state.

This old building houses all the tools, accouterments, seeds and supplies necessary to maintain a large country garden. It's not only functional though, it brings much enjoyment to the gardener. Tea parties with my granddaughter, arranging cut flowers and seeking shelter during a summer rain shower are all activities that take place within its humble walls.

Arranging the flowers that I grow has become an enjoyable part of gardening for me. From more formal arrangements for my church to casual arrangements to enjoy on the kitchen table, at the office or to give to friends. Women always love to get flowers!



As you can see I like old things.  This old table makes a perfect potting table.

I love this chandelier that my dad found at a garage sale.  I get some of my best treasures for the garden and the potting shed from him.
Tea time!

The potting shed has 11 windows.  9 small ones and this larger one on the east side.


"Step into the potting shed. The air is warm and smells of earth. Terra-cotta pots tower in the corner like soup bowls on a kitchen shelf, hand tools hang in rows, bins of soil and peat moss beckon. And there are the seeds--in packets, in jars, in plain envelopes. The sprouting of seeds is the first job of the potting shed, but it is the place where gardeners grow, too."
Linda Joan Smith